Brilliant - all on the rytm?
How did you make the noisy pad in the 2nd half?
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Really like this one.
You confirm me by this track that I need to continue to follow this root on my AR.
The base of the track can be completely done with the AR 
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Yeah all Rytm but also all samples. I’m using OB here for some post processing but not much. Mostly eq on all tracks to shave the low end (god we need a base width filter on the rytm at some point)
The noise specifically is just a bit of BR on the sample going through a bandpass filter which is kind of emphasizing it.
I spent a long time converting samples externally before loading and I think I got some better results because of it. Previously I would record most of my samples directly into the box via youtube, so its not very surprising that I was always fighting the murky sound (see the last thing I posted before this, which I enjoyed but felt like I couldn’t get the tone any cleaner.)
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Yeah man, I’ve had a digitakt too and there just isn’t as much struggle.
I’ve almost sold the Rytm a hand full of times but keep coming back because there’s just something there.
I think I’m slowly getting better with it but it I have to accept it won’t be instantaneous.
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These sound great @philroyjenkins! Really inspiring. This motivates me to step up my game!
I have not made anything close to ambient, but I make samplebased hiphop on the AR using nothing but the AR to sample, chop, sequence, mix etc. I completely get your point about the sound of this thing, I love it but sometimes it’s a lot of work to make it sound more clean or crisp.
I also have an OT and everything I make on that sounds weirdly ‘acceptable’ without any effort, compared to the AR which is a beast you have to tame. Sometimes I grow weary of the hard hitting, deep AR sound, but as soon as I make something without it I start to miss the weight the AR gives to everything. It’s hard to describe really, but I think everything you play through the AR gets some kind of slightly fuzzy punch and weight which I’ve not been able to replicate on any other machine, and I really love. A base width filter just for the samples would be a blessing indeed! I also would like them to add samplerate reduction to give us another flavour of degration.
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Thanks a bunch man, that means a lot. I love the hip hop stuff you pull from this (and other) boxes.
Your videos are constantly ones I go back too when I think of selling the rytm, just to remind myself “See, a hefty but well balanced mix is possible on this thing.”
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Wow thanks for the compliment! I appreciate it a lot.
Hearing different people use the AR for more than just doing electronic drums is really inspiring to me, makes me think of new thing to use the AR for.
Love this
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So I wasn’t realizing that I might be looking for an analog rytm because I was feeling like I had everything I needed. This was an example of something totally different than the normal 4/4 techno that you usually get out of it. (Not that this is bad but your example here is much more akin to Black Metal than dance. I love it. Strong Lurker of Chalice vibes.)
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Not mine. I haven’t seen these before today! Beautiful stuff.
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Damn these are great! The second one especially…
Went to your bandcamp profile and am very much impressed with Eight.
I have some technical questions. Did you do it in one go? Did all channels go through Lexicon?
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.
As to the process: used the separate audio outs into a mixer, mostly to reduce/cut bass.
What you hear on the album are overtones from overdrive/bit reduction, but low frequencies EQ’d out (in mixer). Mainly used Dual VCO and BD FM, as they provide the most colour and some of the noise engines heavily filtered/modulated/EQ’d.
The stereo outs of rytm carry the reverb/delay returns (100% wet) and use the compressor, which gave rise to a lovely bloom as the bass frequencies are not removed internally, but on the mixer.
The Lexicon reverb uses channel mixer sends and just adds extra lushness: delay into reverb with subtle L/R pitch modulation, one going up/the other down, which are cross fed into one other, then brought back up onto a mixer channel and EQ’d.
The combination of samples, synthesis, mixing desk EQ and FX allows for an overall sound not easily achieved with the rytm on its own.
The songs are all single takes, mixed direct to stereo, with some editing/light mastering added to balance the songs as an album. Altogether, recorded about 18 songs, picked the best 10. Only one of them is a composite of two takes, the rest are just a single take.
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Thanks for the description. I overlooked your mention of Lexicon, so after the first listening I tried to make out how you could have done all this with just Rytm’s onboard stuff, which would be difficult, indeed. And Lexicon’s lushness does make a difference
EDIT
I am intrigued about sound generation: overtones from overdrive /bit reduction. Would you mind clarifying? So you mean the sound artefacts resulting from excessive application of overdrive / bit reduction, yes?
Really nice work!
We should keep this topic alive!
I did this one 6 years ago, so no dual vco or trig conditions. My sounds are mostly a combination of analog sounds and samples. I love so much the AR that if i have to choose between a AR MK2 (i have the MK1) and a syntax, i really don’t know which on to choose. The sound of the AR is so unique. The special flavor you get when mixing analog sounds and samples…
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Great thread here.
Here’s my contribution. I’ve only had the AR for a week or 2 but have been enjoying it!
While producing great ambient music do you add a pedal (or two) too your sound chain?
I’m thinking about getting one… any recommendations?
Pedal GAS is like a whole 2nd world of gear lust alongside synth GAS, for me.
I have two Chase Bliss pedals: Mood and Gen Loss 2. Both gorgeous.
My wish list includes:
- Chase Bliss Habit for a different flavour of weird delay/looping from the Mood
- Zen Delay for endless dub echo
- Source Audio Collider for more typical delays and reverbs
- Oto Bam because it’ll look nice next to my Boum
I’ve yet to get GAS for any fancy flangers, phasers or choruses, instead relying on those built into my other gear.
This thread will challenge your wallet: Stereo pedal selection/signal chain advice
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